i am switching tanks from 20 to 45 is there a liquid i can buy to instantly get the

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I would recommend using your filter media from the 20 filter to the 45 filter like Cliff said.

If you want a 'fresh start' so to speak I would use a combination of pure ammonia and Dr Tim's one and only for a fishless cycle quickly, or pure ammonia alone will do the job, just take longer.

Why would he want to add ammonia to a tank when fish are going in there? I do agree with a bac booster but you do not use it with ammonia and you don't pour ammonia in a tank and then drop in fish. Perhaps you did not notice he is adding his fish right away?

Yeah sorry I didn't notice he said he was going to add the fish right away. I just recommended the dr tims one and only and ammonia combination because I used it on two separate instances and my tank and pond were cycled in 3-4 days. Dr Tim's website also specifies the use of pure ammonia with the one and only, I can't speak for other bacteria boosters. I was just speaking from experience.

One would only add ammonia if starting over from scratch and wishing to do a fishless cycle. Fish would only then be added after the cycle is complete.

Since you are adding fish right away by simply transferring them to the larger tank, just transfer your current filter with its cycled media to your larger tank, and dechlorinate any new water you put into that tank. You should be fine with your current stock.

Adding new stock will require additional filtration.

An easy way to cycle the new, additional filter would be to scoop up some of the gravel from your already cycled older tank and put it into a NEW 100% nylon sock or stocking cut down to size, tie off the end, and place that between the new filter media in your new filter. This will help the new filter media cycle faster while your existing filter maintains the cycle from its current media.

Once the new bacteria colony is thriving in the new filter, you can remove the nylon sock and return the cycled gravel to the tank's substrate.

Adding Seachem's Stability according to the directions for its seven-day regimen will also help grow the new bacteria a little faster.

Test your water with the API freshwater master test kit so you know where you are, parameters-wise.

Here's another tip: You can grow an even larger colony of beneficial bacteria by removing the carbon from the filter and replacing it with additional biomedia. Carbon is only needed for removing medications or other toxic chemicals from the tank. If you aren't using any meds and there are no other toxic chemicals, you really don't need the carbon. The additional biomax will provide more surface for growing the bacteria you need.

Of course, the new bacteria will need to be fed, which means adding new stock gradually to the tank. If you maintain your current stock, you will only maintain enough bacteria to feed off its waste. Any additional bacteria would simply starve. That's why they're saying that if you don't plan to add anymore fish, your current filter transferred over by itself will be fine.

Your larger tank should be easier to maintain. Please post pictures when it's established and stocked.

One would only add ammonia if starting over from scratch and wishing to do a fishless cycle. Fish would only then be added after the cycle is complete. Already addressed in a previous post.

Since you are adding fish right away by simply transferring them to the larger tank, just transfer your current filter with its cycled media to your larger tank, and dechlorinate any new water you put into that tank. You should be fine with your current stock. Already addressed in a previous post.

Adding new stock will require additional filtration. Already addressed in a previous post.

An easy way to cycle the new, additional filter would be to scoop up some of the gravel from your already cycled older tank and put it into a NEW 100% nylon sock or stocking cut down to size, tie off the end, and place that between the new filter media in your new filter. This will help the new filter media cycle faster while your existing filter maintains the cycle from its current media. Already addressed in a previous post.

Once the new bacteria colony is thriving in the new filter, you can remove the nylon sock and return the cycled gravel to the tank's substrate. See comment in red above.

Adding Seachem's Stability according to the directions for its seven-day regimen will also help grow the new bacteria a little faster. This is debatable.

Test your water with the API freshwater master test kit so you know where you are, parameters-wise. Already addressed.

Here's another tip: You can grow an even larger colony of beneficial bacteria by removing the carbon from the filter and replacing it with additional biomedia. Carbon is only needed for removing medications or other toxic chemicals from the tank. If you aren't using any meds and there are no other toxic chemicals, you really don't need the carbon. The additional biomax will provide more surface for growing the bacteria you need. This is the only helpful non-paraphrased part of this post and it may not be useful since the OP states his new filter takes cartridges.

Of course, the new bacteria will need to be fed, which means adding new stock gradually to the tank. If you maintain your current stock, you will only maintain enough bacteria to feed off its waste. Any additional bacteria would simply starve. That's why they're saying that if you don't plan to add anymore fish, your current filter transferred over by itself will be fine. Already addressed in a previous post.

Your larger tank should be easier to maintain. Please post pictures when it's established and stocked.

--mermaidwannabe

........

When I go fishing I just place a sharp rock in the water and sit there waiting for all the dead fish to float to the top... KingfisherBrutal honesty will be shown on this screen.I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.Tolerance is a great thing to have, so is the ability to shut up.I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

Well, once again I'm probably gonna tick some people off here. Look, your fish are used to the water in the 20. Do them a favor, put at least half the water from the 20 in the new tank and fill the rest of the way with Dechlorinated water. It will put them under less stress as the water will feel more natural to them. It'll also mitigate any Ph swing you might get. I disagree that merely transfering the filter will instantly cycle the tank and stock it with all it needs. There will be a lag there and the aged water from the 20 will help smooth things out for your fish.

Do them a favor, put at least half the water from the 20 in the new tank and fill the rest of the way with Dechlorinated water. It will put them under less stress as the water will feel more natural to them.

'Ticked'.. No :-D, Advice I would follow - Also no.

I have to ask: How does adding dirty used water feel more natural? In an in house tank to tank transfer I don't see any benefit whatsoever to using old water.
You do them a bigger favor with fresh water than with old dirty water & Also you don't bring a bunch of LFS water into the tank when you bring them home 'because they are used to it', Know what I mean?

... It's like saying "Only pack dirty clothes when you go on vacation"

Testing the pH to see if it's the same is easily done and simply acclimate if required.

Last edited by Goes to 11!; 12-29-2012 at 06:02 PM.

Gas mileage isn't everythingOIIIIIIIOLack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.Why pretend there are no stupid questions? Actually, There are many stupid questions: "Should I drink this bleach?" Is just one example.
Having said that, Just because it's a stupid question doesn't mean that it shouldn't be asked. It's better to know.A warm beer is better than a cold beer. Because nothing is better than a cold beer, and a warm beer is better than nothing.

Not what I meant.If he's doing regular water changes the tank water won't be that dirty, more like it's seasoned 850. If the fish were doing fine in it it obviously is fine also. Tossing them into totally fresh water, with differing chemical compounds than what they're coming from WILL cause stress, how much is determined by the water parameters in both the tap and the tank.

Then there's the fact that completely new water will start a mini-cycle all over again, more stress. Or, is the OP gonna keep both running and do a 'Fishless-Cycle'? By using some of the water from the 20, all the Bacteria that eat Nitrites won't die off( The old water containing some), while the new water cycles and the other BB that eat Ammonia start to colonize. This would make the mini-cycle smaller and shorter in duration. Not to mention that, all the beneficial Bacteria in the Sponge and filter would starve to death before Nitrites appear in totally new water.

Man.... I don't even know where to start

If the water won't be that dirty [And it shouldn't be in a well maintained tank] why are you so worried about the stress from all the clean water?

There is no such thing as 'seasoned water' btw, Only water that gets dirtier. Though I did previously mention acclimation if the parameters are different.

Mini cycles are always possible but the tank will have the exact same bioload and the bacteria will not die off before the stock produce enough ammonia [processed to Trites] via respiration and waste because we are not waiting for the BB to grow - It is already there.

Gas mileage isn't everythingOIIIIIIIOLack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.Why pretend there are no stupid questions? Actually, There are many stupid questions: "Should I drink this bleach?" Is just one example.
Having said that, Just because it's a stupid question doesn't mean that it shouldn't be asked. It's better to know.A warm beer is better than a cold beer. Because nothing is better than a cold beer, and a warm beer is better than nothing.